The CSU Rams are dominated by the Miami (OH) RedHawks in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl

Colorado State arrived at the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl with a prime opportunity to cheer and make a celebratory bow to its season.

Instead, the Rams were dominated by Miami of Ohio on Saturday afternoon in sunny Tucson, Arizona, plagued by errors, four turnovers and poor execution.

The final: RedHawks 43, Rams 17.

Shot.

Miami (9-5) was in control of the second half, turning a close, bitter affair into a rout and spoiling CSU’s first trip to a bowl game since 2017.

The RedHawks opened the third quarter with a six-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by Kevin Davis’ 4-yard run, extending their lead to 16-3. CSU gave the ball back on its third turnover when Vince Brown II fumbled after catching a pass from Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi at the CSU 42. Five plays later, Miami senior quarterback Brett Gabbert walked from the 10 to make it 22-3.

If there was a turning point in the blowout, it came shortly after in a two-game sequence.

CSU’s offense finally put together a solid performance and looked like it was getting back into the game. But the Rams stalled on a four-and-goal play when running back Avery Morrow was blocked at the 3-yard line. On the very next play, Davis found a seam and sprinted 97 yards, giving the RedHawks a 29-3 lead.

The Rams had yet another highlight in a season that ended with a record of 8-5. On a four-and-two play late in the third quarter, CSU converted a buzzer-beating touchdown with a 56-yard TD pass from Fowler-Nicolosi to a wide-open Stephon Daily.

But tricks weren’t enough. The RedHawks defeated the Rams 271-141.

Miami led 9-3 at halftime and should have had a much bigger lead. Gabbert was erratic, completing just 7 of 18 passes for 83 yards. He missed two wide-open receivers on actual touchdown passes. The RedHawks were 1 of 7 on third-down conversions and managed just three field goals on three trips to the red zone.

Two of the RedHawks’ field goals came from CSU turnovers.

Fowler-Nicolosi completed a 17-yard pass to Morrow, who fumbled after a solid hit by Ambe’ Caldwell, and the ball was recovered by Ty Wise at the CSU 34. That set up Dom Dzioban’s 34-yard field goal to tie the game in the first quarter.